It’s been more than an hour since Anissa Lahmari scored the goal that put Morocco in front, one that is poised to deliver another historic win for her team in its first Women’s World Cup.
But it’s not over yet. And so the players of Morocco will have to wait.
They huddled over a staffer’s cellphone as Germany bombed balls over the top, as it tried to thread passes through a stingy South Korean defense and as hopefuls raised it. Germany’s goal, any goal, would save its World Cup and crush Morocco’s unlikely dream of advancing to the knockout round. Minutes passed, and then, and then suddenly, it was over.
Morocco defeated Colombia, 1-0. Germany has never beaten South Korea, 1-1. And after all the minutes, and all the waiting, that’s all it took: Morocco, a team in its first World Cup, a team that never won a game in the tournament a week ago but now has won two in a row , is finished. And it doesn’t seem to know what to do.
When the referee’s whistle blew in the Germany game, Morocco’s players broke their huddle and ran. They ran to find a hug. They ran to find companions. Some ran just to run.
You’ll love the sound on this one 🔊🆙
Listen to the call in Arabic when Morocco found out it was in the Knockout Stage 🇲🇦
(via BEIN Sports MENA) pic.twitter.com/DbZa4rG5D7
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 3, 2023
Morocco has won, of course. The first North African team to qualify for the Women’s World Cup, and the first to field a player in a hijab, its mere presence at the tournament is a triumph, and an inspiration. But Morocco is interested in more than just participation.
As one of the eight first-time entrants to this year’s expanded tournament, it arrived with a squad that was little-known even to most Moroccans before it qualified on home soil in July. It has won fans and respect on its journey to qualification, but even its coach knows the next step will be a big one.
“They showed us that they can fill stadiums and make Moroccans happy,” said the team’s French coach Reynald Pedros before the tournament. “They did it on the African stage. Now we hope to do the same on the international one.”
Now that they have, Pedros doesn’t seem to know what to do. He broke down in tears on the field as his team and his staff celebrated their victory. The players kneel in thanks. The others hugged. In the middle of it all, seemingly lost and unsure of where to go, or who to embrace next, is Pedros.
This is what it means for Morocco 🙏🇲🇦
Morocco’s Head Coach Reynald Pedros and players are in tears after clinching a spot in the Knockout Stage for the first time ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zwgi4xKyid
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 3, 2023
Back home, jubilation gripped Morocco, where just seven months ago fans filled the streets to cheer on the men’s team as it made its run to the World Cup semifinals. Now, the country can soon cheer for its women’s squad.
In Casablanca on Thursday morning, people (mostly men) quietly filled cafes to watch the game. There was little hope for Morocco going into the day, as Colombia topped the group and Germany were widely expected to join the knockouts. But when South Korea scored early, and Morocco took the lead against Colombia before halftime when Lahmari pounced on the rebound of a missed penalty kick for the opening goal, the fans began to hope.
In a cafe, the men inside repeatedly check their phones, updating the score on the Germany game. Some said silent prayers.
As a stunning victory, and an even more surprising possibility – advancing from the group stage to the team’s first World Cup – crept closer, the stress mounted. Across the Mediterranean in France, Kenza Haloui, 34, left work in Nice to watch the match alone while texting her cousins in Morocco. He grew up in Fez and played soccer all his life before moving to Europe. When Morocco finally won, he said, “I felt so many emotions.”
At the final whistle, however, the celebrations were silenced: brief shouts of joy, a few honks of car horns. And then people go about their day.
Soumia Idba, 39, watched the game in the office in Casablanca, but she couldn’t help but notice how difficult it was to watch. “It’s very difficult to find a way to watch a game,” Idba said. “Not in Qatar. Most Moroccans watch online.”
If the celebrations are subdued, however, the team’s next game may bring more emotions: By advancing, Morocco gets a date with France in the round of 16 on Tuesday. It’s the same matchup that, last December at the men’s World Cup, brought fans to the streets of Casablanca and Marrakesh and dozens of cities across North Africa and Europe. France won the day, ending Morocco’s men’s team dream.
The country now has a second chance. Its women’s team has something no one expected: a first.